Oops moment: That was not tryout Ruslan Fedotenko at #NYRangers scrimmage. It was Garnet Exelby, who also received a tryout offer, Sorry

I just saw that. I didnt like playing against him but maybe he can bring more of an edge to the team. Interesting. :)

bsi

09-11-2010, 12:01 PM

Ya, he's definately a better option in my opinion than Eminger.

rocowear21

09-11-2010, 12:05 PM

Ya, he's definately a better option in my opinion than Eminger.

He is a better option in my opinion then rosival. I wouldnt dis credit eminger he is a descent D man.

SLY WILLIAMS

09-11-2010, 12:09 PM

Ya, he's definately a better option in my opinion than Eminger.

I havent seen either guy play recently but a few years ago Exelby was a pain in the neck/back/wrists (literally) to play against.

Staal-Rozy
MDZ-Girardi

Gilroy, McD, Exelby, Emminger, Redden, Valatenko all fighting for the last 3 spots.

mlisica19

09-11-2010, 01:08 PM

He is a better option in my opinion then rosival. I wouldnt dis credit eminger he is a descent D man.

WRONG.
No one can convince me other wise.
Rozisvial 5 years ago was the best plus/minus player in the league. 4 seasons ago he, in my eyes, was a top 10 defender. That was the time where he ended the game ( i think 5) in the playoffs to help us tie the series against Buffalo. Him and Campbell were two in the same kind of guys at that time.
He has always been a good 2 way defender with lots of experience and leadership. He has one heck of a blue point shot and was very versatile.
3 seasons ago when he got the contract extension he hurt his leg, forget what happened. He was out for some games and it seemed his game was off. The next year his game seemed to never return, he focused to much on offense. He seemed to gain weight and lose his stride and everything went down hill. I was ready to get rid of the guy

BUT last year he proved me wrong. He seemed to get a lil more in shape, same big size that he gained but he seemed to get use to it. He hit a lil more than usual last year. He got back into that groove. Granted hes no top 10 in my eyes anymore but im not ready to let him go. So what im saying is that i think two seaons he messed up but now hes back. Im willing to keep his 5 million on the top 6. Hes still a two way defender and has that shot. AT least thats what i saw. And good chemistry with DZ

Then agai the 5 mil is alot for him on the cap hit. I am willing to try pple out and maybe trade the guy for sumtin but for now why bend something that dont need bending.

Foge7

09-11-2010, 01:21 PM

Was hoping we'd make a move on Exelby, solid physical D-Man, will add more grit to our team, I feel he'd be a nice fit. :clap:

SLY WILLIAMS

09-11-2010, 01:23 PM

http://twitter.com/walsha

D-man Alexei Semenov (6'5", 235 lbs) has agreed to a tryout with the NYR. He trained in NY for most of the summer.

bsi

09-11-2010, 01:45 PM

Doesn't look good for Rosival is he starts slow

redwhiteandblue

09-11-2010, 02:05 PM

Bout time we started adding some D depth instead of up front. Man, Exelby was just hanging around all summer huh? I'm glad he's at camp. Toronto has a great core of D, between commitments they made in FA and their depth he was a casualty but he's not bad. He's gotta have at least a couple years left before he really declines.

I'd much rather have him in the lineup then Redden or Eminger, perhaps even Roszi.

Garden Faithful

09-11-2010, 02:13 PM

He's a better d-man than Rosie or Eminger with respect to defensive play as whereas Eminger is probably a more gifted offensive defender. I just have one big problem with him and that is that a he is a dirty player who hits high and uses his elbows and no I am not simply saying this because of his tangles with the Rangers in the past just from general overall play. I get the NHL center ice package and I watch a lot of games and from what I have seen of his play (which is not a tremendous amount of games but a decent amount) he plays dirty when he does not have to.

Isca92

09-11-2010, 02:25 PM

I think there has to be some type of package deal for a player coming back or none of the prospects are ready. IMO these are a lot of players to just create competition at camp.

redwhiteandblue

09-11-2010, 02:37 PM

^^
Why? What's wrong with forcing players to make their way? What do we have to lose by a lot of these guys not making the team? The young guys we have team control over and the older guys can go search for jobs elsewhere or help the progression of the young guys in Hartford.

I think best case scenario some of the young guys force us into a trade.

commonsense12

09-11-2010, 05:06 PM

Could also make Gilroy work harder to make the team. I know Torts was not happy with his play at the end of last year and rightfully so. I think we def need more physical guys on this team. MCD and Exelby could be exactly that. I wanna see teams get punished for running into Henrilk this season. We got a lot of scrappy players now with Boogs, Prust, Avery, Exelby, Semenov, teams would not know were its coming from lol. LOVE IT

Going to be interesting with all these guys, i am getting excited for the season.

bsi

09-11-2010, 05:55 PM

I see nothing wrong with some competition, it brings the best out in players and makes it so they don't get too comfortable thinking they're a lock to make the team or even stay on the team. Players play a lot better when someone else is behind them looking for their spot, something we didn't have at all last year, which showed up in Redden's play and in Rosival's for the most part of the year. Mediocrity doesn't have to be tolerated anymore, if you are mediocre you'll be replaced, I love it.

dashripdot

09-12-2010, 08:52 AM

WRONG.
No one can convince me other wise.
Rozisvial 5 years ago was the best plus/minus player in the league. 4 seasons ago he, in my eyes, was a top 10 defender. That was the time where he ended the game ( i think 5) in the playoffs to help us tie the series against Buffalo. Him and Campbell were two in the same kind of guys at that time.
He has always been a good 2 way defender with lots of experience and leadership. He has one heck of a blue point shot and was very versatile.
3 seasons ago when he got the contract extension he hurt his leg, forget what happened. He was out for some games and it seemed his game was off. The next year his game seemed to never return, he focused to much on offense. He seemed to gain weight and lose his stride and everything went down hill. I was ready to get rid of the guy

BUT last year he proved me wrong. He seemed to get a lil more in shape, same big size that he gained but he seemed to get use to it. He hit a lil more than usual last year. He got back into that groove. Granted hes no top 10 in my eyes anymore but im not ready to let him go. So what im saying is that i think two seaons he messed up but now hes back. Im willing to keep his 5 million on the top 6. Hes still a two way defender and has that shot. AT least thats what i saw. And good chemistry with DZ

Then agai the 5 mil is alot for him on the cap hit. I am willing to try pple out and maybe trade the guy for sumtin but for now why bend something that dont need bending.

Unfotunately for the Rangers he doesn't use his good shot. He hasn't for at least the last two seasons and it makes the team less dangerous and more predictable when he's on the ice. I'll grant that he picked up his defensive game over the second half last year, but for a year and a half before that he was just plain awful. Now that he has the worst contract that's the easiest to trade (out of Redden, Drury and Rozi), I hope they deal him.

SLY WILLIAMS

09-12-2010, 09:41 AM

Rozy does have a good shot and I'd like him to use it more. Do you guys know who else has an awesome shot? Semenov. He shoots as hard as 105mph.

beast023

09-12-2010, 07:26 PM

since we're giving out all these tryouts, y not give sykora an opportunity... he put up a bunch of points for us when he was here... granted that was a few years ago but he still has offensive ability and i think he is one of the few players still out there that has the chance to out perform a lot of the guys on our roster

Redfish

09-12-2010, 09:33 PM

Exelby was a player the Rangers were rumored to be trying to trade for last season, and his physicality is something we sorely lack on defense. I realize this is just a tryout and his defense is inconsistent, but perhaps in the short-term he is a better option than Gilroy, whose defense was suspect as well last season.

I'm just tired of the lack of respect opponents show us by consistently running into or jamming at Hank, or simply skating into our zone with the downside being a poke check or body check along the sides. If Exelby is our best option to address our lack of physicality and intimidation on defense, I'd go with him short term.

Bleeds MSG

09-12-2010, 10:06 PM

I'm just tired of the lack of respect opponents show us by consistently running into or jamming at Hank, or simply skating into our zone with the downside being a poke check or body check along the sides. If Exelby is our best option to address our lack of physicality and intimidation on defense, I'd go with him short term.

AGREED 100%. I dont even care if he's dirty like someone else said he was before. He's effective and addresses a huge need. Unless McD can can show he can play at a similar level of physicality and skill let him get seasoned and play everyday in the AHL and be ready as a potential first D call up. Also excited to see the young russian defender in camp.

bsi

09-12-2010, 10:10 PM

Dirty is exactly what we need back there, nobody's gonna wanna give Hank a wack after the whistle if someone in front is willing to take your teeth out with a butt end or an elbow, sometimes it's greasy, but it's effective, as long as he doesn't make a steady parade to the penalty box.

Redfish

09-12-2010, 10:16 PM

AGREED 100%. I dont even care if he's dirty like someone else said he was before. He's effective and addresses a huge need. Unless McD can can show he can play at a similar level of physicality and skill let him get seasoned and play everyday in the AHL and be ready as a potential first D call up. Also excited to see the young russian defender in camp.

I'd go the route of McDonagh, who by all accounts is ready for the NHL, and Exelby; with Eminger and Gilroy fighting it out for the 7th defenseman position. Alternatively, they can both develop in Hartford if we only carry 6 defenseman, but I would go with McDonagh and Exelby.

bsi

09-12-2010, 10:32 PM

IMO I'd be taking this as my D this year. Remember Semenov made this team last year, but left for Russia, there's no reason he couldn't be a part of the team now.

Staal MDZ
Girardi Exelby
Rosival Semenov with either Gilroy or Eminger being the extra.

runnermjr1296

09-13-2010, 12:01 PM

I was hoping for a while we would make a move on Exelby.In my opinion teams are way too "comfortable"playing against us.Gotta love all the competition!One of the previous posts said mediocrity will not be tolerated anymore. That's good, maybe us fans weren't the only ones ticked off last year!

Redfish

09-13-2010, 12:25 PM

IMO I'd be taking this as my D this year. Remember Semenov made this team last year, but left for Russia, there's no reason he couldn't be a part of the team now.

Staal MDZ
Girardi Exelby
Rosival Semenov with either Gilroy or Eminger being the extra.

It is entirely possible that, between the prospects camp held by the Rangers, and Traverse City, Ranger management has already concluded McDonagh will be a solid 3rd-pairing defenseman this year, at a MINIMUM; and these invites are the result of the positive knock-on effect this would have to begin the process of moving Roszival sooner than previously anticipated.

I'm not advocating this, and think Roszival earned the alternate captaincy with his second half play last year. Yet, his contract is easier to move than Drury's, and Rozy will garner the best value returned in a trade of either player. Also, I don't believe Rozy is part of the puzzle that leads to the Stanley Cup. I'm simply reading into some of these personnel moves.

Rozy, Gilroy, Avery, and Boyle look to be more and more expendable with these low-cost moves around the edges that Sather is doing.

Rangers in 7

09-13-2010, 02:56 PM

It is entirely possible that, between the prospects camp held by the Rangers, and Traverse City, Ranger management has already concluded McDonagh will be a solid 3rd-pairing defenseman this year, at a MINIMUM; and these invites are the result of the positive knock-on effect this would have to begin the process of moving Roszival sooner than previously anticipated.

I'm not advocating this, and think Roszival earned the alternate captaincy with his second half play last year. Yet, his contract is easier to move than Drury's, and Rozy will garner the best value returned in a trade of either player. Also, I don't believe Rozy is part of the puzzle that leads to the Stanley Cup. I'm simply reading into some of these personnel moves.

Rozy, Gilroy, Avery, and Boyle look to be more and more expendable with these low-cost moves around the edges that Sather is doing.

i agree completely....to me it looks like the d will be

staal-MDZ
girardi-exelby
semenov-McD
7th man being gilroy or eminger....with gilroy getting a few games on our 4th line

commonsense12

09-13-2010, 03:12 PM

i agree completely....to me it looks like the d will be

staal-MDZ
girardi-exelby
semenov-McD
7th man being gilroy or eminger....with gilroy getting a few games on our 4th line

If this is the dman we are going into the season with i disagree with the lines. I would think it would be :

Girardi- Staal
MDZ- Exelby
Semenov- MCD

Reason being Girardi and Staal have chemistry and we would have at least 1 dman on each pairing that can push the puck up the ice.

BTW if Rozy gets traded it would have to be for either draft picks or offensive help. Draft picks are fine but if it is an offensive player that makes our lines even more crowded with so many players that are not going to make the team. Would make things even more interesting.

apdamico

09-13-2010, 04:05 PM

I reported last week that LW Ruslan Fedotenko was considering the Rangers offer. Obviously he accepted the offer. Boy we have so many forwards now, hopefully some will be package for a true #1 center!

BTW, didn't Avery and Fedotenko have some issue with a dirty hit last season or the season prior?